Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nebulizer for dispensing a fluid.
Description of Related Art
One starting point for the present invention is a nebulizer illustrated in WO 2006/125577 A2. The nebulizer comprises, as a reservoir for fluid which is to be atomized or nebulizer, an insertable rigid container having an inner bag containing the fluid and a pressure generator with a drive spring for delivering and atomizing the fluid. Preferably, the container is secured against removal. For the purpose, the nebulizer of its housing may be designed such that it can not be opened after the container has been inserted.
Preferably, the container is pre-installed in nebulizer in the delivery state. In particular, the pre-installed container is held by a transportation lock unmovable within the housing in the delivery state in order to avoid any undesired opening of the container.
Before being used for the first time the nebulizer is completely closed. Thus, the pre-installed container is opened by a delivery tube piercing a sealing and a septum to fluidically connect to the inner bag of the container. Further, the transportation lock is opened so that the container can move inside the nebulizer back and forth.
By rotating the lower housing part of the nebulizer the drive spring can be put under tension and fluid can be sucked into a compression chamber of the pressure generator. Simultaneously, the container is moved into the lower housing part in a stroke movement within the nebulizer and when tensioned for the first time the container may be pierced through its base by a piercing element in the lower housing part to allow venting of the container. After manual operation of a locking element the drive spring is released and the fluid in the pressure chamber is put under pressure by the drive spring and is delivered or atomized through a nozzle into a mouthpiece as an aerosol, without the use of propellant gas.
WO 2007/022898 A2 discloses a similar nebulizer. A container can be inserted into a housing of the nebulizer. The housing is closed by a lower or bottom housing part. The container is moving axially forth and back during conveying of the fluid to be nebulized, during pressure generation and/or during nebulization. A counter can be arranged in the housing part. The counter locks the nebulizer against further use if a predetermined number of operations has been reached or exceeded. Then, the housing part may be replaced together with the counter and the container. The container may be connected inseparably with the housing part. However, WO 2007/022898 A2 does not describe a simple and inexpensive construction for connecting the container with the housing part inseparably and such that the container is moveable back and forth within the housing during conveying of the fluid, pressure generation and/or nebulization.